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Google defines “trend” as ‘a general direction in which something is developing and changing’. We can all agree that the education space is continuously upgrading itself to evolve to present day necessities. The educational methods handed over to us years ago have a distinct and a stark difference to the pedagogical tools used today. With the advancement in technology, every industry is adapting to the new trends and the education sector is no exception. Educational trends adopted by institutions vary from each other depending on the trend that is most suitable for implementation and that which resonates with their objective.

How a particular trend translates into and augments a student’s life is of paramount importance whilst choosing to adopt a particular trend. Some of the trends that are particularly noticeable in educational institutions throughout the world include the use of technology in the classroom which includes but is not limited to gamification and use of educational apps, inquiry-based education, focus on performing arts as a supplement to a regular academic structure, inclusive education, educational and project tours and excursions, industry-based interface for older students via internships and so on.

Let us look at some of the Modern Trends in education that JBCN International School, Borivali has adopted -

Educational And Project Tours

Project Based Learning is a hands-on experience to understand, explore and acquire deeper knowledge about a subject. It involves looking at an issue or a subject from different perspectives, answering a complex question and challenging ones-self to solve the problems of the real world. It is one of the ideal ways to build 21st-century skills among students. On the other hand, Educational tours or Edutours (as they are most commonly known as) provide valuable educational opportunities away from the classroom, without using textbooks and classroom tools used in a school setting. Students on Educational tours can often learn while having fun in a more informal environment. At JBCN, Project tours for the older students and Edu-tours for the younger students are organized at regular intervals. Apart from imparting educational elements, these tours help students learn important life skills and build their relationship and bond with their peers. These type of tours prepare the students for life ahead.

Mindfulness:

Mindfulness in learning jbcn
James Baraz says “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won't).” Mindfulness is a movement which is being adopted in various organizations, irrespective of the industry. Mental health is as important as physical health and at JBCN, various facets of mindfulness are practiced at different levels. We have an in-house Learner support Centre, which comprises of 8 professionals including a Clinical Psychologist, Special Educator, and Dyslexia Therapist, two Counselors, four Special Educators, and a Career Counselor. The learner support center conducts various Mindfulness sessions for our students and staff which includes visual and performing art-based therapy sessions. In addition, students also have assemblies which emphasize on the importance of practicing mindfulness every day in one’s life.

UN’s Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a collection of 17 goals which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another. Over the past years, we, at JBCN, have adopted the UN sustainability goals as an effort to create consciousness about the environment, people and culture among the students. We believe and foster these goals through our JBCN Heals, Cares, and Aware initiatives to make the world a safer and better place for all the inhabitants. The Sustainable Goals is one of the modern trends in education which form a part of every activity that the students undertake thereby making the students aware of their role and responsibilities as national and global citizens through discussions, videos, role plays, morning assemblies, various environmental oriented activities, community service, etc. Students are made aware of the present scenario and take responsibility for their actions. They strive towards making conscious decisions to save our planet and make it a better place for the coming generations.

Use Of Technology In The Classroom And STEM Implementation

Use Of Technology In The Classroom And STEM Implementation Other modern trends in educations used by JBCN are the usage of technology in the classroom is an undisputed advantage in a student’s holistic growth. Our school’s technology goals are aligned in order to meet the school’s mission and vision of providing an EduCreative experience for our students. We believe each child is a life-long learner and in this day and age, we understand the need to align and integrate technology not only with the curriculum but in the school’s way of life. This year we have made a long term goal pertaining to Technology Integration in the whole school right from the Pre-primary section to the Higher Secondary (A-levels). We use a lot of Web 2.0 tools for teaching and learning. We also make use of Khanacademy.org, TeacherGaming.com (an all-in-one game-based learning toolkit for the classroom), Flinnt.org (India’s most exciting learning app for K-10 students wherein students can learn for free), Plicker (Plickers is an assessment tool made by a teacher who was looking for a quick and simple way to check student understanding. This assessment tool allows teachers to collect on-the-spot formative assessment data without the need to have students use devices or paper and pencil), Edmodo (Edmodo is an educational technology company offering a communication, collaboration, and coaching platform to K-12 schools and teachers. The Edmodo network enables teachers to share content, distribute quizzes, assignments, and manage communication with students, colleagues, and parents), Screencasting software to create videos for Flipped Classroom, 4teachers.org, etc.

The younger students in the pre-primary and lower primary grades have sessions which make use of Senses TVs. As we progress to the primary grades, students have a curriculum integrated STEM programme which encourages collaborative learning in spite of the roles being defined for each learner.

As we progress to the secondary grades, we have F1 (Formula 1) sessions. F1 in Schools™ is the World’s Largest STEM-Based Technology Challenge where school students aged between 9-19 years design miniature F1 in Schools™ cars using CAD/CAM tools followed by manufacturing their designs on a CNC machine. The competition is currently live in more than 45 countries with India beginning with Season 2. The competitions happen at the Regional, National followed by the best teams representing the country in the World Finals to compete against 45 other countries and experience the world of Formula1.

These trends listed above and much more are practiced at JBCN as we believe in exposing students to a trans-disciplinary programme that will develop their mind, body, and soul. In today’s global environment it is important to give students the opportunity to develop their personality and not just concentrate on one aspect. Hence these trends go a long way in a student’s overall growth and enhancing his/her approach to life.

Written By- Rubeena Binoy Communications Manager
JBCN International School, Borivali